Recognition of foreign professional qualifications - Public servants - career field education

As teacher you can apply to have your teaching qualification equalised with a teaching qualification in Berlin under the Teacher Qualification Determination Act (Lehrkräftequalifikationsfeststellungsgesetz) (see "More information"). Equalisation with a teaching qualification is also one of the prerequisites for working as a school supervisor.

The exercise of sovereign powers and the fulfilment of state tasks in Germany are predominantly carried out by persons who are employed as civil servants in a special public-law service and loyalty relationship.

The recognition of qualification for a career in the career field of education is possible if the equivalence of your professional qualification with a career qualification in the state of Berlin is established. (see "More information")

Recognition can be applied directly for the following career fields:
  • Teacher at a technical school
  • School psychologist counsellor and school psychologist counsellor
  • Adult education councillor.
An application for recognition of a professional qualification as a career qualification may be submitted for these career branches.

Procedure:
  1. You submit an application for recognition of your professional qualification for the career field of education to the Senate Department responsible for the school system as the competent authority or to the Single Point of Contact. You will receive a confirmation of receipt.
  2. The competent authority will determine whether your qualification can be assigned to the qualification for the career specialisation and to a career segment of the careers of the Land Berlin.
  3. If the qualification can be assigned, the competent authority compares the preliminary and training requirements of the career qualification with your qualification certificates. If the authority determines that there is a qualification deficit, it must be checked whether this can be compensated for. In doing so, it must be examined whether the knowledge, skills and competences acquired following the acquisition of the qualification within the scope of your previous professional practice or through lifelong learning, which have been formally recognised as valid for this purpose by a relevant body, can compensate for the deficit in whole or in part.
  4. In the case of a qualification deficit that cannot be compensated for, recognition is dependent on passing an aptitude test or successfully completing an adaptation course or a preparatory service.
  5. The decision on the application shall be made in writing. With the successful completion of the recognition procedure, the qualification for the career specialisation and the respective career segment is acquired. It is possible that the career qualification is only recognised for certain tasks or offices (partial access).
  6. If the requirements for the recognition of the qualification are not met, you will receive a decision against which you have legal remedies according to the Administrative Court Code (objection procedure, if necessary legal action).
  7. The recognition of the qualification for a career field of the Berlin civil service is not associated with the placement of a position; you can apply for advertised positions. The selection will then be made according to suitability, qualification and professional performance.

For further information, please contact the relevant office.

Prerequisites

  • Age
    At the time of employment or takeover, you should not yet have reached the age of 45. This age limit is postponed for periods of actual childcare up to one year for each child under 18 years of age and for periods of actual care of close relatives in need of care according to a medical certificate (parents, parents-in-law, spouses, registered partners, siblings or children) up to one year for each close relative, up to a maximum of three years in total.
  • Nationality
    You have the nationality
    • of a member state of the European Union,
    • of a state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area,
    • of a third country to which the Federal Republic of Germany and the European Union have granted a corresponding entitlement to recognition of professional qualifications by treaty.
  • Qualification
    You offer the guarantee of standing up at all times for the free democratic basic order within the meaning of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany. You are not unsuitable for public servant status due to professional misconduct, criminal offences or comparable weighty reasons.

Documents required

  • Application
    (under "Online processing")
    In the application, you must state which public service activity you are seeking.
  • Curriculum vitae
    Curriculum vitae with a tabular presentation of the professional career
  • Proof of nationality
    Proof of nationality of the member state or of a contracting state
  • Proof of qualifications
    Proof of qualifications, e.g.
    • Certificate of the higher education entrance qualification
    • Certificates, diplomas and, if applicable, other necessary proof required abroad in order to obtain the professional qualification as a teacher or another professional qualification there
    • Overviews of subjects and grades (Diploma Supplement, transcript, study book or similar)
    German translations by a registered translator must also be submitted for all documents that were not issued in German.
  • Proof of good conduct
    Certificates or documents from the home country or country of qualification stating that no criminal offences, serious professional misconduct or other circumstances calling the suitability into question are known; the certificates or documents must not be older than three months at the time of their presentation.
  • Certificate of authorisation to practise the profession
    Certificate from the home country or country of qualification stating which professional practice the professional qualification entitles to there
  • Declaration on previous professional recognition procedures
    Declaration as to whether and with which body within the Federal Republic of Germany recognition has already been applied for, and, if applicable, the decision issued in this regard.
  • Place of residence details
    For statistical purposes, the information on the place of residence is required.
  • If necessary, proof of exercised activities
    Certificates on the nature and duration of activities in the field of the qualification carried out in a member state after the acquisition of the qualification
  • If necessary, proof of competences acquired through lifelong learning
    Certificates issued by a relevant body on knowledge, skills and competences acquired through lifelong learning
  • More documents
    The competent authority may request you to submit further information on the content and duration of the completed training and on other professional qualifications in the form of study regulations, examination regulations, course books or in any other appropriate manner within a reasonable period of time, insofar as this is necessary to establish equivalence.

Fees

EUR 55.00 to EUR 222.00, per effort

Average time to process request

The competent authority shall acknowledge receipt of the documents within one month and inform you of any missing documents. The one-month period begins at the time the application is received by the competent authority or the single point of contact. The decision on the application will be communicated in writing within four months of the submission of the complete documentation.

Diese Dienstleistung können Sie auch online über das des Einheitlichen Ansprechpartners erhalten.

Gewerbeservice online Einheitlicher Ansprechpartner Berlin

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